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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

02nd January 2022 22:48:24 Hours

Kotte Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha Confers 'Sri Lankadheeshwara Padma Vibhushana' on HE the President

The conferment of the honorary title, ' Sri Lankadheeshwara Padma Vibhushana' on HE the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by the supreme Sangha Council of the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha occurred this afternoon (2) at historic Kotte Raja Maha Viharaya in conformity with ancient traditions and formalities in the presence of the Maha Nayake Thera of Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha, Ven Ittaepane Sri Dhammalankara Nayake Thera, Anu Nayake Thero, senior monks, First Lady, Hon Prime Minister, Speaker, Ministers, Principal Adviser to the President, Governors, Secretary to Ministry of Defence, General Kamal Gunarathne (Rtd), Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, General Shavendra Silva, Navy and Air Force Commanders and a group of other distinguished invitees.

The brief ceremony saw HE the President upon arrival at the historic 'Uposhithagaraya' make offerings to the Buddha at first and pay obeisance to the Maha Nayake Thero before the Sangha Council presented the objective for the day's gathering as a formality and the reasons, attributed to the conferment of this distinguished honour on HE the President, just a day after the dawn of the New Year at this historic sacred place. Afterwards, the citation for award of the honorary title as unanimously agreed upon by members of the supreme Sangha Council at Kotte was read out before the parchment containing the honour was formally handed over to HE the President.

HE the President reciprocated the gesture and gratefully acknowledged the decision of the supreme Sangha Council to honour him with the distinguished 'Sri Lankadheeshwara Padma Vibhushana' honour of Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha in a brief address and assured that he would always be guided by advice of the Maha Sangha, attaching greater significance to the protection of the ' Buddha Sasana'.